White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders added that the US would continue to inquire about the fate of the journalist.

Khashoggi was last seen late last week after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Turkish officials insist that he was killed inside the facility, an allegation denied by Saudi officials.

The Turkish Daily Sabah has released the identities of the Saudi operatives, who had apparently travelled from Riyadh to Istanbul on two private jets and entered the Saudi mission on October 2 as Khashoggi entered the building.

Khashoggi’s mysterious disappearance has led to protests in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, where activists demanded justice for missing journalist.

Several US senators triggered an investigation and potential sanctions against Riyadh.